The former rock star appeared in the dock wearing a black velvet coat, purple cravat and sunglasses.

He could have faced a life sentence for his crimes, but Judge Alistair McCreath said his crimes had not reached that threshold.

However the judge told him he had caused "real and lasting damage" to his victims.

He told Glitter: "I have read the victim impact statements of all three victims. It is clear, in their different ways, they were all profoundly affected by your abuse of them.

"You did all of them real and lasting damage and you did so for no other reason than to obtain sexual gratification for yourself of a wholly improper kind."

He added: "The offences for which I must pass sentence today took place many years ago at a time when in particular, in respect of one of them, the maximum sentence was considerably lower than that which is now available."

One girl was younger than 10 when Glitter - tried under his real name Paul Gadd - crept into her bed and tried to attack her in 1975.

Glitter attacked two of his victims, aged 12 and 13, after inviting them backstage to his dressing room and isolating them from their mothers.

The 12-year-old, who had been drinking Moet champagne, was also taken to Glitter's hotel room before he subjected her to a prolonged episode of sexual abuse and had sex with her in 1977.

Pop star Gary Glitter in the height of his glam rock fame in the 1970s

Towards the end of the decade, Glitter struck again - assaulting a 13-year-old girl as she sat on his lap in his dressing room.

In mitigation his barrister, Sallie Bennett-Jenkins said over the last ten years Glitter had led an increasingly isolated life and had been unable to walk the streets without vilification.

Despite this the former rock star had a number of fans in court to lend support as he was jailed.

Some carried old photographs and annuals featuring images of Glitter in his heyday.

Detective Chief Inspector Michael Orchard from Scotland Yard, said: "Paul Gadd has shown himself to be a habitual sexual predator, who took advantage of the star status afforded to him by targeting young girls who trusted him and were in awe of his fame. His lack of remorse and defence that the victims were lying make his crimes all the more indefensible.

"I would like to commend the bravery of the victims for coming forward. The courage and strength required to report allegations of this nature cannot be underestimated; and without their testimonials we would have no case to bring to court."

"Paul Gadd was the first individual arrested under Operation Yewtree. This goes to highlight the complexities involved in dealing with offences of this nature and our determination to pursue all lines of inquiry."

Mark Castle, Chief Executive of the charity Victim Support, said: "Glitter was convicted not because of forensic evidence or eyewitness accounts, but because jurors saw through his lies and believed his victims' testimony.

"This prison sentence is testament to the courage Glitter's victims showed in reporting their ordeal and bravely confronting this serial paedophile in court."

An NSPCC spokesperson, said: “Glitter devastated the lives of his victims by sexually abusing them and then compounded this evil crime by taking the coward’s way out and pleading not guilty, so forcing them relive their trauma in court. His victims showed enormous courage in bringing him to justice and telling the court the sickening things Glitter had done to them.”

Glitter was arrested as part of Operation Yewtree, the Metropolitan Police investigation launched in the wake of revelations that former BBC DJ Jimmy Savile was a prolific paedophile.

Gary Glitter was arrested as part of the investigation in the wake of the Jimmy Savile (left) revelations (PA)

Savile's victims reacted with fury after the investigations failed to apportion blame to any senior NHS managers, as they branded the findings a whitewash.

DCI Mick Orchard from the Met's Operation Yewtree describes Gary Glitter as a "sexual predator who took advantage of the star status afforded to him by targeting young girls who trusted him and were in awe of his fame"